Can you tell us about your first footballing memories? What inspired you to play football?

I started at the age of five because I was living with my family right next to a football field and my parents had both played football. My dad was a team liaison manager of a men’s team and I always went with him to the games. So at the age of five, I started my career playing with boys in my home town.

You’ve had some great moments in your career, are there any that stand out in particular?

Good question! There are two, I think one of the biggest moments was wearing the German national team jersey for the first time whilst listening to the national anthem. That was something I was really proud of and it was very special to me. Also, winning the Champions League with Frankfurt in 2002. I think these are some really, really good moments.

You tore your ACL twice when you were very young, how did this affect you mentally?

At that time, we never really thought about mental issues, right? I think it’s much more topical nowadays. Tearing my ACL meant that I missed out on the World Cup in 2003 and the 2004 Olympics in Athens. It was quite a tough time, but for me it was more. I felt that I was done, so I went back to my hometown after Frankfurt and then I decided to go to Sweden. I just wanted to enjoy and do something different without pressure and have a good time. This was something that helped me to explore something new.

What external factors helped you in your transition from professional footballer to coach before quickly moving to the boardroom? Can you talk to us about that time?

I think it’s the people around you. It’s the network, it’s family and friends, it’s the people you met during your career. These were important people who helped me during my career and during that transition.

What advice would you give to others for their transition from the pitch to the boardroom?

When I was playing football it was a bit easier because I couldn’t really live with the money I earned through football and had to focus on my second career. In today’s time there is a big difference, I see it being a little bit problematic because I think there’s a lot of players now who are getting so much money, and they don’t need to think about another career in this moment. But there’s another day coming and if you get injured your life will change from one minute to the next. I think you need to prepare for what’s possibly coming, you always need to be open to listen and find out what you would like to do when you retire. I would say internships are something you should use. The schedule is quite tight for international or national and top players at the moment but there’s always time to do something and to find time.

You are extremely educated, with a Degree in Sport Facility Management, a Diploma in Sports Management, and several certificates and coaching licenses. How important has education been to help further your career into football administration?

Really important. It builds the foundation. I gained a lot of on-page experience and I saw a lot through my years as a football player. Education is helpful and shouldn’t be underestimated to have the knowledge and to have the foundation to actually work in this business. If you’ve been a professional football player, that doesn’t mean you will be a great coach, administrator, or a good manager. You should build a foundation to be able to fulfil your job and to be a good leader.

You were a part of the first MIP cohort in 2015 – why did you decide to complete the programme?

At that time, it was quite a transition when I stopped my career and starting my coaching career. When I started the MIP course it wasn’t just because I wanted to build foundation in terms of knowledge. It was more for building a network, and using it to get to know new people. To be honest, I loved it. The group was amazing. It was really, really good to talk to football players and their openness for women’s football. It was amazing and I’ve been in close touch with some of them and every time we see each other somewhere it’s really nice.

Looking back what skills did the MIP programme equip you with to help you in your career? Definitely the hands-on knowledge. I think, in terms of leadership, I learnt a lot there. This was something which has helped me to be able to speak to people inside the industry who have a lot of experience. I thought this was very helpful and gave me a lot of experience in these fields.

In July 2024 you took over as director of the FC Bayern’s women’s football section as it became structured as a division. Can you tell me a little bit more about this restructure?

Before, we were just a women´s football department which was structured within the youth male section at the FC Bayern Campus. We always had to go through youth football, and were sitting below them which meant you then had different layers of people to talk to. But with the restructuring, my direct contact person is now the sports board Max Eberl. This helps us with much shorter ways of communication and the decision making processes are much faster. With this decision, we have lifted women’s football up within the club. With this structure shifting, we are much quicker in decision making processes and much more productive in implementations.

In your administrative work, you have stayed on the women’s side of football. Is building up the women’s game something that is important to you?

Absolutely! I mean, that’s where I come from. That’s my passion. I always felt that it is the area where I should work because I felt like I can really actually help and I can really actually do something and make some differences. When I arrived at Bayern I felt I could have an impact here and I still enjoy and appreciate every day here at the club.

Have you got a message for any young women and girls who are looking to reach senior administrative positions in football?

Believe in yourself and use the people around you.